what to eat. Since the early 20th century, the government has tried to guide our food choices. There are some
well-meaning people trying to set nutritional guidelines,
but there are always hidden forces at play as well. For
example, the meat industry isn’t happy any time the recommended serving size of meat goes down. So, over the
years, the food pyramid we remember as kids has changed
and is now totally disregarded in favor of what is called
“My Plate.” My Plate was a policy unveiled by Michelle
Obama. The question you should ask yourself is, why are
the recommendations always changing? Is it in your best
interest or the interest of the food companies?

Food industry. The food industry, just like
every other industry, tries to make money, so
it lobbies the government and funds studies to
try to influence the government’s recommendations. Your best bet is to ignore fads and catchy slogans
and search out real food. When it comes to packaged food,
choose products with minimal ingredients. With all food,
try to eat it in its most natural form.

Water. Are you spending more per gallon on
drinking water than at the pump? Maybe Dr.
Michael Burry was right. Who was he? He was
the guy from the movie the “The Big Short.”
After making millions during the housing market crash he
took his money and invested it in water. Did you know
that most bottled water comes from the same tap water
that your municipality provides you. It is just a filtered
version of city water. It’s true that there are some bottled
waters that come from sparkling springs and other pristine
islands, but read the label. Better yet, buy a quality filter
and make your own bottled water straight from the tap.

Tryptophan. If you’ve heard of tryptophan, you’ve probably linked it to turkeys. But, have you really gotten sleepy
from eating too much turkey? Did you
know that many other foods, such as cheddar cheese, have
the amino-acid tryptophan in them. Bet you’ve never linked
other foods to getting tired. Food is fuel for your body, and
just like your motocross engine, it can’t run on the wrong
kind of fuel, neither can your body. ❏

Scam. Let’s face it, nutritional marketing is
deceptive. When you walk down the aisles of
your local grocery store and read food labels,
you see phrases such as “fat-free,” “sugar-free,”
“milk; it does a body good” and “low cholesterol.” Do any of
these claims actually mean these foods are better for you
than others? Not really. Each phrase is a marketing tool
to get you to buy the product. Is sugar bad for you? How
about fat? Do carbs make you fat? One study says yes;
another says no. So, which do you listen to? Everything
is influenced by trends and money. All-wheat bread is
nutritionally better for you than white bread, right? Wrong.
Neither one is inherently better than the other. You have to
educate yourself about the specific ingredients.

Milk. “Milk does a body good!”—at least that
is what the dairy industry wants you to think.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture tells us that
adults should drink three cups of milk a day,

mostly for the calcium and vitamin D; however, multiple
studies show there is no association between drinking
more milk and having stronger bones. Healthier sources of
calcium include green leafy vegetables, beans and fortified
juices.

Gluten-free. Gluten-free products are great
for those with gluten intolerances, which
accounts for 1 percent of the population. For
everyone else, though, there’s no advantage
to buying them. Gluten-free products don’t help you lose
weight and are not necessarily good for you. They often
have more fat, sugar or sodium to improve the product’s
flavor.

Fat-free. For most people, the word “fat” has anegative connotation. It all started in the 1960swhen the sugar industry funded research todownplay the health risks of sugar and blameit all on fat. If you look closely at fat-free versions of aproduct and the regular versions, they have about the sameamount of calories. The catch is that fat-free versions haveextra sugars and chemicals to make them taste better. If allthese fat-free and low-fat options are so healthy, why areobesity, diabetes and heart disease at record highs?Cholesterol. Cholesterol is another word like“fat” that gets a bad rap. It’s misleading to callcholesterol an evil, artery-clogging fat, becausecholesterol performs a lot of important func-tions. Stop throwing those egg yolks in the trash becauseof their cholesterol. They are the most nutritious part of theegg. Cholesterol helps produce hormones, cell membranesand vitamin D, and aids in digestion. And guess what?Most of the cholesterol in your bloodstream is created byyour body, not your diet.Sugar. There are over 61 names on foodlabels that are all considered sugar. It is con-fusing. It makes it difficult for people to under-stand what they are ingesting. Sugar deliverscalories, not nutrients. A high-sugar diet contributes toobesity more than a diet high in fat. You need sugar, buteating complex carbohydrates instead of simple sugars isthe healthiest way to give your body what it needs.Food pyramid. The first food pyramid wasintroduced in 1992, but that wasn’t the firsttime the government has tried to tell people